Introducing

4. 12. 201423:40

Prime Minister Sobotka inducted into office the new Minister of Transport, Dan Ťok

The new Minister of Transport, Dan Ťok, took up his new function on Thursday 4 December 2014. He was inducted into office by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. In the morning, Ťok was appointed by Miloš Zeman at Prague Castle.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stressed that the Ministry of Transport is one of the key ministries and that the tasks under its responsibility are a priority for this government. According to him, the new Minister now faces the key task of stabilising the staffing needs of the ministry, as well as the organisations that report to it, and will have to ensure its stable financing. He considers the most acute problem to be the situation existing in the Road and Motorway Directorate.

Minister Dan Ťok should also commit to the construction of motorways, bypasses and the upgrading of the rail infrastructure. Key issues include the construction of the D11 motorway, or the R35 expressway. Prime Minister Sobotka also mentioned the possible link between Prague’s Masaryk Railway Station and Václav Havel airport and the improvement of rail links with Germany. Another key task will be the launch of a tender for a new operator of the road toll system.

The new Minister Ťok said that the transport ministry was one of the most difficult posts, and the one which most affects all citizens. He assured the Prime Minister that he also considers the areas he referred to as priority.

This is the second change of ministers in the Sobotka Cabinet. The Minister for Regional Development, Věra Jourová, was previously replaced by Karla Šlechtová when Ms. Jourová was appointed as the EU’s Czech Commissioner.